Detachable button and fastening means therefor

ABSTRACT

A garment fastening system comprising a button having a diametrically extending attaching means adapted to engage an appropriate loop, or similar fastening means, attached to a garment, with the attaching means having means for centering the button on the loop, whereby said buttons can be detached and interchanged as desired.

finite States Patent aari u 9 s [451 A g 11 1972 [54] DETAQBIABLE BUTTON AND [56] References Cited T II E 72 EN :5 M 2 2 Z 1533 UNITED STATES PATENTS nventor: a ne aari ox 1 Barbara cglifi 93102 2,122,208 6/1938 Lyle .24/104 820,729 5/1906 Pamp ..24/l04 [22] Filed: June 1, 1971 [21] Appl No M8 826 Primary Examiner-Bernard A. Gelak Related US. Application Data [57] ABSTRACT [62] Division of Ser. 701,190 Jan 29 1968, garment fastening system comprising a button hav- Pat No 3 606 650 mg a diametrically extending attaching means adapted to engage an appropriate loop, or similar fastening means, attached to a garment, with the attaching 2% g fla i i gg means having means for centering the button on the 1 d 6 104 90 R 236 loop, whereby said buttons can be detached and in- [5 8] o earc l 2 terchanged as desired.

1 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures DETACIIABLE BUTTON AND FASTENING MEANS THEREFOR This is a division of my previously filed application, Ser. No. 701,190, filed Jan. 29, 1968 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,650

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to buttons for garments, and more specifically, the present invention relates to detachable buttons which can be easily interchanged.

Buttons for garments, whether functional or decorative are ordinarily sewn directly onto the garment in whatever position is required for their function or decorative effect. Although most buttons used on garments are purely functional in purpose, a large number of buttons are either for solely decorative purposes or there is a combination of function and decoration sought. In instances where decorative effect is desired, buttons having various designs, colors and materials are employed. Should the dictates of fashion require a change for a particular purpose, the overall effect of a particular garment can be altered by changing the type and/or color of buttons but to do so requires that the old buttons be cut off and new ones sewn on. This may be a time consuming task and in addition repeated resewing at the same location on the material may damage the material sufiiciently so that a good attachment cannot be made. In addition, removal of the buttons permits the garment to be laundered without damaging the buttons, and makes pressing the garment easier as well.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved attaching means for buttons so that they may be easily interchanged without additional resewing or piercing the material in any way.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a button with a diametrically projecting element adapted to engage a fastening loop which has been sewn to the garment whereby any one of a number of different buttons may be affixed in said loop.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show the details of an old type of button or pin.

FIGS. 4 and 6 are plan views of the rear portion of a button demonstrating one embodiment of the improved attaching means of the present invention.

FIG. is a sectional elevation taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view illustrating the en gagement of the tongue within the fastening means.

FIGS. 8 and 11 show other forms of fastening means to be employed for various purposes with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another form of the attaching means.

FIG. 10 shows a wire-formed attaching element for affixing to brooches or the like.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 through 3, the ordinary type of campaign button or pin is shown. In FIG. 1 the front face 10 of the ordinary pin is shown and this front face may contain any decorative designs or surfaces or contain printed messages such as commonly used for campaign and promotional purposes or for decorative effect. In FIG. 2 a sectional elevation taken along line 2- 2 of FIG. 1, shows the three elements making up the ordinary campaign pin. The front face 10 is crimped around its outer periphery as at 12 and retains in that manner an enclosure ring 14 which extends around the inner periphery of the crimped portion 12. The enclosure ring 14 may likewise have an inner crimped annular portion 16 providing a meanS for keeping the retaining coil 18 in place. As shown in FIG. 3, the retaining coil 18 is merely a piece of spring wire bent into a circular portion 20 extending slightly more than one half of the circumference of the pin, and having one end bent sharply to project diametrically across the pin to provide a piercing element 22. In some of the pins heretofore made and sold, this is the entire construction and it is proposed that the user of such a pin merely pierce his garment with the piercing element 22. There is also an improved form of this device which has an interlocking prong 24 provided in the circular portion 20 immediately opposite the end of the piercing element 22 whereby after piercing ones garment with element 22, the sharp end thereby may be tucked under the interlocking prong 24 thereby preventing the sharp point from jabbing the wearer.

While the device as above described is adequate for its intended purposes, it suffers serious drawbacks when the principles thereof are intended to be employed to provide a button for use in fastening and decorating garments. The most noteworthy drawback is that the piercing element 22 leaves unsightly holes in the fabric. In addition, if fabric is engaged throughout the length of the piercing element 22, the function of the pin as a button becomes cumbersome since it is so securely affixed to the underlying material that it is difficult for the material to which it is to be fastened to be adequately engaged by the button itself. In order to provide a button having the characteristics of the type which is affixed to a garment with thread, it is common to affix the thread only through the center of the button so that the fabric can get adequately beneath the button in the usual manner. This is particularly important where the fabric is heavy.

The present invention is an improvement upon interchangeable buttons and the improvement resides in improved designs for attaching means and the use of separate fastening means. In FIG. 4, the retaining coil 30 again has a circular portion 32 which extends about the inner periphery of the button more than one half the circumference thereof. The piercing element 22 of the old device is, however, replaced by a tongue 34 again formed of spring wire material. The tongue 34 has two portions, a first diametrically projecting arm 35 which extends across the rear inner face of the button and then makes a reverse bend at 36 and extends back toward the beginning of the arm 35 providing a second arm 37. The circular portion 32 of retaining coil 30 is provided with an interlocking prong opposite end 36 in a manner similar to the prong 24 of the older device but somewhat broader so as to adequately receive the end 36 of tongue 34. In each of arms 35 and 37 there is provided inwardly projecting detents 39. As shown in FIG. 6, the end 36 of tongue 34 is easily disengaged from the interlocking prong 38 by swinging the tongue to one side. The bend at the end 36 of tongue 34 permits the arm 37 of the tongue to be collapsed inwardly toward the arm 35 so that additional clearance between the end 36 and the prong 38 is obtainable. After the end 36 has been disengaged from the prong 38, the tongue will project outwardly away from the rear face of the button as shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 5.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, FIG. 7 shows a circular loop 40 engaged by the tongue 34. The loop 40 may be easily sewn by garment manufacturers to the garment 42 and could be done with ordinary sewing machines or by hand much more easily than the sewing of buttons to garments, no particular orientation of the ring 40 being required. Thus, the garment manufacturer need not concern himself with the type of button to be affixed to any particular garment as this can be easily handled by others or left up. to the customer. FIG. 7 shows the engagement of the tongue 34 in the loop 40 whereby the inside diameter of loop 40 is designed to be slightly less than the dimension between the outer surfaces of the deepest portion of the detents 39 as that dimension exists for the expanded position shown in FIG. 4. In other words, the maximum inside diameter of loop 40 is slightly less than the maximum distance between the bottom of the detents 39 when the-relative position of the arms 35 and 37 are in their expanded position. When the tongue34 is inserted into the loop 40, the arms 35 and 37 will be depressed inwardly until the loop 40 seats in the detents 39, whereupon the arms '35 and 37 will spring outwardly to restrain the position of the tongue in the loop 40 whereby the'button will be firmly held but will still be movable. It will thus be noted that by appropriately centering the location of the detents 39 with respect to the button face 10, the means used for fastening the button to the garment can be easily centered with respect to the button face. Due to the resilient action of the wire used for the retaining coil 30, the tongue will tend to remain in place in the loop 40 and if disturbed from that position can be easily relocated. If thick material is employed in a particular garment, the dimension of loop 40 may be altered appropriately or two loops may be, linked together in order to provide increased spacing beneath the button.

Another type of fastening device is shown in FIG. 8. A bar .fastener or staple 45 may be easily attached to fabric 46 and the inner dimension thereof adapted in a manner similar to that of the loop to engage the detents 39. The staple fastener may find particular use for buttons which are desired to lay flat against the fabric such as the buttons on the cufis of mens suit coats.

The triangular fastening device 48 shown slightly enlarged in FIG. 1 I has an added feature. This device may be used for the attachment of small interchangeable buttons such as for shirts and cuffs wherein the inner diameter of the annular portion 50 of the button is only slightly greater than the length of one side of the triangular fastener 48. It is proposed that the fastener be approximately an equilateral triangle. With the tongue 52 inserted through the center of the fastener 48, the problem of centering the small button is accomplished since the corners 54 and 56 would engage the inner periphery of the annulus 50 keeping the button on center. The button would, however, pivot about the side bar 55 and also about the point 57 by which it is attached to the fabric 58. In this manner, the button could be easily buttoned to the garment. In addition, the same triangular fastening device could still be used with buttons of larger size whereby the detents 39 would engage the insides of the corners 54 and 56 in a manner similar to that previously described for the loop and staple fasteners.

Although a preferred embodiment herein discloses a separate retaining coil similar to the coil used in the old pins, it is contemplated that the tongue and prong may be formed integrally with the button. For example, the button, tongue and prong may be molded in one piece of plastic or the like whereby the tongue is formed in the manner shown herein to provide the centering facility described. FIG. 9 shows another modification of the fastening means for the formation of a one piece button. In FIG. 9, the fastening means comprises two interlocking arms 60, 62 extended diametrically across the back of the button 64. A curved slot 66 is formed between the inner ends of each of the arms and the end of the inner arm 62 provides a fastener receiving space 68. For attachment to a garment, any of the fastening means 40, 45 or 48 may be used. The fastening means is slid into the slot 66 and thence into the receiving space 68. The width of slot 66 may be narrowed slightly at 70 so that the attaching arms securely engage and interlock to fastener and prevent the button from becoming easily detached from. the fastener. An outer, decorative facing 72 may be later applied to the button as desired. The overlapping relationship of the arms 60, 62 reinforces the strength of the attaching means as the fastening means, pulling upon arm 62, will cause it to bear upon arm 60.

Neither is it intended to limit the scope of this invention to a separate retaining coil, for the coil itself may be eliminated in favor of other means for mounting the tongue and prong on the back of the button. For example, FIG. 10 shows a separate element 74 having a similar tongue 34 and prong 38 including the centering detents 39. In this embodiment however, the coil is substituted by a backing element 76 which may be soldered to the back of a metal button, brooch or pin.

Thus, the present invention provides an improved interchangeable button which accommodates buttons of any size or shape and can be usedfor decorative and/or functional buttons or pins whether they must lie flat against the garment or stand away from it in order to accommodate heavy fabric. Since the fastener pivotally engages the attaching means on the button, the button can still be pushed flat up against the garment and there is no still projecting stem which can jab the wearer. Since the retaining coil 30 is movable inside the enclosure ring 14, the button can be straightened or rotated if the design on the outer face requires a specific orientation. Any variety of outer face designs can be made as well as transparent surfaces permitting the insertion of designs or photographs providing a wide variety of interchangeable buttons. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that changes and modifications might be made therein without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and it is the aim of the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true scope and spirit of this invention.

I claim: 1. A detachable button comprising: a front face portion;

fastening means adapted to be permanently nonrigidly secured to a garment surface, said fastening means adapted to non-rigidly cooperate with said attaching means to hold said front face portion oriented substantially directly outward from said garment surface, whereby said button may be mounted upon said garment or detached and interchanged with another button of similar construction, and whereby said fastening means cooperate with said centering means to locate said fastening means proximate the radical center poin of said face portion. 

1. A detachable button comprising: a front face portion; attaching means mounted upon the back of said front face portion, said attaching means comprising a pair of interlocking arms extending diametrically across the back of said face portion, a slot formed between the ends of said arms, the ends of said arms situated in overlapping relationship in a direction normal to the back of said face portion, a receiving space formed between the end of only one of said arms and said back, whereby said slot and said receiving space are adapted to receive fastening means therein; and fastening means adapted to be permanently non-rigidly secured to a garment surface, said fastening means adapted to non-rigidly cooperate with said attaching means to hold said front face portion oriented substantially directly outward from said garment surface, whereby said button may be mounted upon said garment or detached and interchanged with another button of similar construction, and whereby said fastening means cooperate with said centering means to locate said fastening means proximate the radical center point of said face portion. 